Everything you need to know about Willow Valley

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Every way to sleep, compared

Ten ways to sleep, listed here as twelve entries: the bell tents are one way to sleep but sit in three separate parts of the valley, so each area has its own listing. Camping and touring starts from £24 a night for two. Every other stay is priced live for your dates in the booking system rather than from a published from-price.

What is Willow Valley, and who runs it?

What is Willow Valley Holiday Park?

Willow Valley is a family-run holiday park at Bush, two miles inland from Bude in north Cornwall. It covers eleven acres of river valley and woodland, with 21 camping and touring pitches, bell tents on private decks, a converted school bus, an Airstream, a shepherd’s hut and five lodges with private hot tubs. Ten ways to sleep in all, and dogs are welcome in every one.

Who owns and runs Willow Valley?

Becky and John Gough. They moved down from Shropshire and took the valley on themselves — Becky’s background is hospitality, and John farmed his own farm before this. They rebuilt the shower block, levelled the pitches and added the bell tents. Ring 07973 513974 and it is usually Becky who answers, John if she is out in a field.

Is Willow Valley a big holiday park with a clubhouse and entertainment?

No. There is no clubhouse, no swimming pool, no water slide and no tannoy. The site is licensed for 46 pitches and runs 21, which is what keeps it quiet. What you get instead is a cook deck for glampers, two shower blocks, a launderette, a dog wash behind reception, football goals and swings, and eleven acres of valley to walk around.

How many camping pitches does Willow Valley have?

21, spread across two fields on the valley floor — Lower Willow at the bottom and Middle Willow beside the facilities, with the River Strat running between them. The licence allows 46. Running fewer than half of that means more space between pitches, a quieter valley and less wear on the ground.

What awards and ratings does Willow Valley hold?

AA 5-Star Gold Caravan & Camping for 2026/27, a TripAdvisor Travellers’ Choice award, a commendation in the Cornwall Tourism Awards, a Pitch-Up award, and a TRA Digital Award from 2022. Guests rate the park 4.9 out of 5 across 41 TripAdvisor reviews.

Where is Willow Valley, and how do I find it?

Where exactly is Willow Valley?

Bush, Bude, Cornwall EX23 9LB — in the Strat Valley, roughly two miles inland from Bude, just off the A39 Atlantic Highway. GPS 50.84416° N, 4.50965° W. Plus code RFVR+QJ Bude.

What is the what3words address for Willow Valley?

///prepare.selection.query. Use it if your sat nav wants more than the EX23 9LB postcode, or if you would rather drop a pin on the exact spot than on the lane.

How far is Willow Valley from the beach?

Summerleaze, Crooklets and Widemouth Bay are all under a ten-minute drive. Sandymouth is about fifteen minutes. Bude itself is about two miles. Two miles inland is close enough for the sea to be minutes away and far enough to be out of the wind when the Atlantic is in a mood.

Is there parking at Willow Valley?

Yes, on site. One vehicle per touring pitch and two per caravan or lodge. Extra vehicles use the designated parking area for an additional charge — mention them when you book. We are not able to take commercial vans on the park.

How do I get through the entrance?

An ANPR barrier reads your number plate and lifts automatically. There is no code to remember and nobody to find. If you are arriving late or you cannot spot the final turn, ring 07973 513974 and we will talk you in.

What is the nearest pub to Willow Valley?

The Preston Gate Inn, less than a mile away. Bude, about two miles on, has the rest: pubs, cafés, restaurants, supermarkets, surf hire.

Can I bring my dog?

Are dogs welcome at Willow Valley?

Yes, in every single stay — the camping and touring pitches, all the bell tents, Bluebird, Boskenna, Millook and every one of the five lodges. There is no dog-free unit and no shortlist to work around.

What are the dog rules?

Dogs stay on a lead no longer than two metres anywhere on the park, are exercised in the area provided, and are never left unattended — not in a stay, not in a vehicle. Please clear up after them; dog bins are dotted around the site.

Which dog breeds are not accepted?

As a family park we are sorry that we cannot accept Rottweilers, Dobermans, Bull Mastiffs, Pit Bull Terriers or crosses of these breeds. Every other breed is welcome.

How many dogs can I bring?

There is no fixed limit. If you are travelling with more than a couple, ring 07973 513974 first, only so we can put you somewhere with the room for them.

What is there on site for dogs?

A dog wash behind reception for muddy paws, dog bins around the park, a dog exercise area set aside for the daily circuit, and eleven acres of grass, woodland and river to walk them in.

Are the beaches near Bude dog-friendly?

Several take dogs all year, and the busier town beaches have seasonal restrictions in high summer. Ask when you arrive and we will point you at the right one for that week.

Which stay should I choose?

Which stays at Willow Valley have a hot tub?

All five lodges: Helyk, Bencoolen, Stamford, Heath and Mordros. Every tub is private to its lodge — there is no shared hot tub on the park. Nothing else has one, so if a hot tub is the point of the trip, book a lodge.

Which stays have their own shower and toilet?

Boskenna, the Airstream, is fully self-contained, with a shower, a toilet and a kitchen all inside. All five lodges have a private bathroom and a full kitchen inside. Millook has a private shower and toilet just outside the hut. Bluebird, the camping pitches, and the bell tents on the lower hillside and in the camping field (Hartland, Kernow, Fistral and Polzeath) use the shared block on the valley floor. St Petroc, St Enodoc and Sea Campion, on the upper hillside, use the second block, in the glamping car park.

What is the biggest stay at Willow Valley?

Mordros, which sleeps up to 12 in a multi-family layout with bedrooms pairing a double bed and a set of bunks, a large kitchen and its own hot tub. Twelve is the maximum — if your group is bigger, people commonly take Mordros plus a lodge or two, so ring and we will line the dates up.

Which stay suits a couple?

Boskenna, the restored 1972 Airstream. It is adults only, sleeps two and nobody else, and has its own shower, toilet and kitchen inside plus a private patio with a BBQ. If a hot tub matters more, Bencoolen is in one of the quietest corners of the valley, among the trees, Stamford’s tub is on its own deck, Heath’s is straight out of the door, and Helyk’s is in an enclosed garden.

What is Bluebird?

A 1970 American school bus, fitted out by hand over a Cornish winter. Inside there is a log burner, a double bed and a set of bunks sleeping four, a furnished kitchen and living area, and a TV. Gas cooking is outside, and showers and toilets are in the shared block a short walk away.

What is Millook?

A shepherd’s hut for up to four, with a double bed at one end and two singles in their own small room, armchairs, a TV, a fridge and a kettle. There is no cooking inside, but it has its own gas cooker on the deck. Its shower and toilet sit just outside the hut and are reserved for Millook’s guests.

What is the difference between the three bell-tent areas?

Every bell tent sleeps up to four on a double and two singles, with bedding and towels provided, its own private deck and a chiminea outside. Fistral and Polzeath sit on level ground in the camping fields, closest to the shower block. Hartland and Kernow are on the lower hillside — a gentle rise, but not flat. St Petroc, St Enodoc and Sea Campion are the three highest, reached by a steep path.

Can I cook in the bell tents or the shepherd’s hut?

No — but cooking happens outside. St Petroc, St Enodoc, Sea Campion, Fistral and Polzeath each have a gas cooker on their own deck, Hartland and Kernow share a gas point sited opposite them, and the facilities have a covered cook deck for glampers. There is no cooking inside any of the bell tents. Millook has its own gas cooker on its deck, and Bude is a couple of miles away for everything else.

Is Willow Valley right for my party?

Is there an accessible toilet at Willow Valley?

Not at the moment. The valley terrain varies, so please ring 07973 513974 before you book and we will be straight with you about what will and will not work.

Are any of the stays step-free?

Mordros and Helyk are the most accessible of the lodges, with access straight from the drive. Millook has steps up to the veranda door. The three upper hillside bell tents are reached by a steep grass path. Tell us what you need before you book and we will talk it through honestly.

Do you take group bookings, stag or hen parties?

No. Willow Valley is a park for families and couples, and we are not able to take all-male, all-female or mixed groups, or large parties. If your family needs more than one pitch’s worth of space, book the pitches you need or get in touch and we will sort it out.

How many people can stay on one camping pitch?

Each pitch takes four to six people, and a large grass pitch takes up to eight. Larger families simply book two pitches together — mention it when you book so we can put you side by side.

Can I bring an awning or a gazebo?

Yes, on any pitch. Declare it when you book so we can allow for the space.

Is Willow Valley safe for young children?

It is a low-density, family-run site: 21 pitches across eleven acres. Entry is through an automatic number-plate barrier with CCTV, so there is very little traffic moving about. The river runs through the middle of the park and nobody is allowed in it, so keep an eye on little ones near the bank; children remain your responsibility at all times.

What is there to do nearby?

What is there to do near Willow Valley?

The beaches first: Summerleaze with its sea pool, Crooklets, Widemouth Bay and Sandymouth are all within fifteen minutes. The South West Coast Path runs straight through Bude, so walks start in town in either direction, and the Bude Canal towpath is the flat alternative. Further out, Padstow is around an hour, Clovelly and Hartland Quay are a short drive north into Devon, and Tintagel and Boscastle lie along the coast.

Which beach near Bude is best for families?

Summerleaze, for the Bude Sea Pool — a semi-natural tidal pool beneath the cliffs, far calmer than the open sea. Widemouth Bay is the one for a proper beach day, with room to spread out, bodyboarding and rockpools at low tide. Sandymouth has some of the best rockpooling near Bude when the tide is out.

Can I learn to surf near Willow Valley?

Several beaches along this stretch offer board hire and lessons through the season. Crooklets is a favourite with surfers and bodyboarders and has lifeguards in season, and Widemouth Bay is the long one. This is one of the best coasts in England to learn on.

Where can I eat near the park?

Bude, about two miles away, has the pubs, cafés and restaurants — from a post-surf coffee to a proper dinner. The Preston Gate Inn is the nearest pub, less than a mile off. On the park, the shop in reception has local produce, hot drinks and ice creams, and a local pizza van is on site in high season. Padstow, around an hour down the coast, is worth the drive for seafood.